Method of manufacturing shoes



Jan. 14, 1964 1 P. A. GARCIA 3,117,331

METHOD OF mnumcwuamc sHoEs Filed Sept. 18, 1961 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 FIG.1

INVENTOR. 22 Pedro Arnau'Garcia 22 82% z ATTORNEYS 1 Jan. 14, 1964 P. A. GARCIA 3,117,331

mamon OF MANUFACTURING SHOES Filed Sept. 18, 1961 2, Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Pedro Arnau Garcia BY 3 W,

f wuu WM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,117,331 METHQD 6F MANUFATURENG SHQES Pedro Arnau Garcia, Las Flores Sh, Barcelona, Spain Filed Sept. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 133,743 Claims priority, application Spain June 17,. 1961 9 Claims. (Cl. 12142) This invention relates to the manufacture of shoes, especially those of the classic closed type with heels, and, more particularly, to a novel method of manufacturing shoes of this type which include an upper, a lining, and reinforcing and shaping means disposed between the upper and the lining.

In the present method of manufacturing shoes of this type, an insole is placed upon the last and the lining is assembled thereto. After this initial step, and while the insole and lining are on the last, the elements of the interior reinforcement, especially those for reinforcing and shaping the rear part and counter of the shoe, are added to the assembly of the insole and the lining. The upper is then assembled to the parts of the shoe already assembled and still on the last, after which the usual reinforcing shank is added to the assembly. The outer sole and the heel are then assembled to the other elements on the last to complete the shoe.

In accordance with the present invention, the assembly of the shoe is greatly facilitated, to the point where the shoe may be assembled by relatively unskilled labor, by performing all of the operations, except the addition of the outer sole and the heel, before the shoe is placed on the last. Particularly, the lining and the upper are cut to pattern and pre-formed by stitching, and are then joined to each other along their upper edges. During this step, the entire stitching of the lining and of the upper is completed without either of these parts being placed upon the last. After the lining and the upper have been thus stitched together, a pre-formed reinforcement and shaping means is inserted, through an aperture in the upper, between the lining and the upper, the lining and the upper having been accurately cut and stitched together in such a manner that the volume or space therebetween exactly receives the pre-formed reinforcement.

This pre-formed reinforcement may be molded of a suitable plastic material and may comprise the entire reinforcement of the shoe in a single piece. Alternatively, the rear reinforcement may be formed in one piece and the forward reinforcement in a second piece. Preferably, the usual metal reinforcing shank is molded into the reinforcing insert during the molding operation.

After this insert, or both inserts, have been placed between the lining and the upper, the assembly is then placed on a last and the free edges of the upper are drawn over the reinforcement and suitably secured in position as by cementing, tacking, or the like. The outer sole and the heel are then assembled to the remaining assembly of the shoe, while this remaining assembly is on the last.

An essential feature of the present invention is that the patterns for the lining and the upper must be accurately cut to size so that the space between the assembled lining and upper will exactly receive the previously molded reinforcing insert or inserts. As regards shoes of any one type and size, this inner space factor can be accurately calculated and remains identical for all shoes which are of the same size and the same style or shape.

By applying the invention technique as just set forth, and which may include other details of construction facilitating the assembly of the shoe as well as an increased economy and efiiciency in the use of material, the work of assembling a ladys high quality shoe can be changed into a relatively mechanized operation which is easy to perform, even for unskilled labor.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the pattern for the lining;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the pattern for the upper;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the completed lining, with one part being illustrated as only partially secured to the remainder of the lining;

FIG. 4 is an inside elevational view of the superposed lining and upper illustrating the manner in which these parts are positioned for stitching together;

PEG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the assembly of the lining and the upper to each other;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through the shoe, omitting the outer sole and the heel, and showing the reinforcing elements in position between the lining and the upper;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, corresponding essentially to FIG. 5, and illustrating an alternative embodiment of the upper construction; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a shoe in accordance with the invention on its last.

Referring to FIG. 1, the lining includes a relatively large piece of material 8 and a relatively smaller piece of material 113, both cut to a predetermined pattern. To pro-shape the lining, the edges 9, 9 are stitched together, as at lb (FIG. 3). The curved edges 11, 11' are also stitched to each other by a seam 12 (FIG. 3), and supplementary piece 13 is added by stitching to the assembly. Piece 13 is stitched to piece a by the seams 14 (FIG. 3), and thus all stitching in the center of the back part of the shoe is avoided, particularly on the inside face or surface. This avoids annoying friction or chafin against the users heel. At the same time, and using the supplementary piece 13, it is possible so to orient this piece that the non-dressed face thereof is on the outside of the lining, thus giving the shoe an appearance of chamois and a feeling of comfort, as well as increasing the gripping of the shoe on the foot.

When all of the seams M, 12 and 14 have been made, the lining will have an opening 15 in the sole part. This opening can be filled with another piece of lining or, and which is more advantageous, with a piece 16 which can be cut from the central part of the leavings resulting from cutting of either the lining of the shoe or of the outside leather or upper. By using these latter cuttings, not only is material economized but the shoe has a better appearance because it displays, on its sole on the inside, an area of leather of the same quality as that of the upper. When piece 16 is fully stitched in position, the lining is completed. In FIG. 3, the piece 16 is shown only partially joined to the lining, in order to illustrate the opening 15.

Referring to FIG. 2, the upper is cut from a single pattern 1'7, and a piece may be cut from the center part to provide the piece to used to close the opening 15 in the lining. The upper is positioned on the lining and the upper edges 19 thereof are stitched to the upper edges 18 of the lining. A seam 2i, is used to join the back end edges of the upper, as best seen in FIG. 5. Seam 2% runs vertically of the upper and intersects transverse seams 21 uniting the opposite edges of the notches 22. A seam 23 running centrally and longitudinally of the upper completes the assembly of the upper, which is joined to the lining as shown in FIG. 4. This provides an assembly of the lining and upper, in complete form but with an interior space which is unfilled.

As best seen in FIG. 7, it is not necessary that a single seam 23 be used in completing the lower part or sole of the upper. Thus, a relatively elongated supplementary piece 24 of a lower quality of material or of the same leather as that of the upper, but placed on its reverse side in order to facilitate its adherence to the outer sole, can be used.

it should be further understood that the shape of the parts does not have to be the same as shown in the drawing, as the shape therein is exemplary only. Also, the order of the stitching operations is not mandatory and may not be the precise order described above. The essential feature is that, as a starting operation for the manufacture of the shoe, the stitching of the lining and of the upper is completed in such a manner that the shoe is completely shaped before any of the parts or elements of its internal structure or reinforcing and shaping structure are incorporated in the shoe, or before the shoe is placed on the generally indicated last L.

The next operation in completing the shoe, and which is an essential feature of the invention, comprises the filling of the vacant space between the lining and the upper with a previously molded part of relatively rigid material, such as a suitable relatively stiff plastic material. erably, the single molded part includes all of the reinforcing elements of the shoe and, in any event, includes at least the part reinforcing and shaping the rear portion of the shoe, and the metal shank extending longitudinally of the shoe sole. This latter may be molded into the reinforcing and shaping part. Optionally, the front reinforcement of the shoe can be made integral with the rear reinforcement of the shoe. This reinforcing part, insofar as the rear reinforcing element is concerned, is indicated at in FIG. 6 with a metal shank being indicated at 25A and the front reinforcing part is indicated at 26 in FIG. 6. If desired, the front reinforcing part 26 can be made integral with the rear reinforcing part 25. Alternatively, the front reinforcing part 25' may be provided and incorporated in the usual manner.

It is essential that the assembly of the lining and the upper be made in a precision manner so that the space thercbetween will exactly match the shape of the reinforcing part 25' which is introduced into this space after the upper and the lining have been assembled as described, The most difiicult part of the manufacture of the shoe is thus reduced to the operation of introducing and adjusting, between the lining and the upper, the molded piece or pieces 25 and 26, and to proceed to adhering the edges 27 of the upper material around the sole portion of the reinforcing part. The shoe is then placed on a last, and an outer sole 28 is then placed in position. The heel may be assembled, for proper orientation and firm solid support, by joining the heel directly to the reinforcing shank molded into the part 25 and the back portion of the shoe. By this arrangement, technical difficulties in the method of assembling the shoe are avoided.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail in order to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. In the manufacture of shoes of the type including an upper, a lining, and preformed reinforcing and shaping means positioned between the upper and the lining, the novel steps comprising, all in advance of lasting the shoe, cutting relatively flexible lining material to a predetermined pattern including mating edges to be joined to each other; forming stitched seams, joining said mating edges, to pro-shape the lining; cutting relatively flexible upper material to a predetermined pattern including mating edges to be joined to each other; forming stitched Prefseams, joining said mating edges, to pie-shape the upper; and stitching corresponding upper edges of the lining and the upper to each other to form a sub-assembly of the lining and the upper including a space between the lining and the upper precisely calculated to exactly and conformingly receive the reinforcing and shaping means; the lower edges of the upper being free and thus providing with the lining an entrance for said reinforcing and shaping means.

2. in the manufacture of shoes as claimed in claim 1, the entrance being in the area. which is normally covered by the outer sole when the lower edges of the upper are in upper-completing position; pre-forming reinforcing and shaping means of relatively stiff material; and inserting said pro-formed reinforcing and shaping means through the opening into the upper into said space and into conforming and fitting engagement between the upper and the lining.

3. in the manufacture of shoes as claimed in claim 2, said pre-formed reinforcing and shaping means comprising an integral member constituting the entire reinforcing and shaping means of the shoe.

4. In the manufacture of shoes as claimed in claim 2, said pre-formed reinforcing and shaping means comprising an integral pre-forrned element of relatively stiff material including the reinforcing and shaping means for the rear portion of the shoe; pre-forming a second reinforcing and shaping means for the forward portion of the shoe; and inserting said second pre-formed reinforcing and shaping means between and in conforming fitting engagement with the forward portions of the lining and the upper.

5. In the manufacture of shoes as claimed in claim 2, said pro-formed reinforcing and shaping means being formed by molding of relatively stiff material; and molding a metal reinforcing shank into said pro-formed reinforcing and shaping means so as to be integral therewith.

6. In the manufacture of shoes as claimed in claim 5, said metal reinforcing shank being constructed and arranged for securement of the shoe heel thereto by attaching means engaged through the heel and the metal reinforcing shank.

7. In the manufacture of shoes as claimed in claim 2, the further steps of, after the sub-assembly of the lining and upper is completed and the reinforcing and shaping means introduced therebetween, placing the sub-assembly on a last; turning over the projecting lower edges of the upper onto the reinforcing and shaping means and securing said projecting edges thereto; securing a sole to the thus completed sub-assembly; and then adding a heel to complete the shoe.

8. In the manufacture of shoes as claimed in claim 7, said reinforcing and shaping means being molded from relatively stiff material; during such molding, incorporating a relatively elongated metal reinforcing shank into the reinforcing and shaping means; and securing said heel to said metal reinforcing shank by fastening elements extending through the heel and into said shank.

9. in the manufacture of shoes as claimed in claim 2, the step of molding said reinforcing and shaping means from a plastic composition material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES OF THE TYPE INCLUDING AN UPPER, A LINING, AND PERFORMED REINFORCING AND SHAPING MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN THE UPPER AND THE LINING, THE NOVEL STEPS COMPRISING, ALL IN ADVANCE OF LASTING THE SHOE, CUTTING RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE LINING MATERIAL TO A PREDETERMINED PATTERN INCLUDING MATING EDGES TO BE JOINED TO EACH OTHER; FORMING STITCHED SEAMS, JOINING SAID MATING EDGES, TO PRE-SHAPE THE LINING; UCTTING RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE UPPER MATERIAL TO A PREDETERMINED PATTERN INCLUDING MATING EDGES TO BE JOINED TO EACH OTHER; FORMING STITCHED SEAMS, JOINING SAID MATING EDGES, TO PRE-SHAPE THE UPPER; AND STITCHING CORRESPONDING UPPER EDGES OF THE LINING AND THE UPPER TO EACH OTHER TO FORM A SUB-ASSEMBLY OF THE LINING AND THE UPPER INCLUDING A SPACE BETWEEN THE LINING AND THE UPPER PRECISELY CALCULATED TO EXACTLY AND CONFORMINGLY RECEIVE THE REINFORCING AND SHAPING MEANS; THE LOWER EDGES OF THE UPPER BEING FREE AND THUS PROVIDING WITH THE LINING AN ENTRANCE FOR SAID REINFORCING AND SHAPING MEANS. 